"Klismos" Chair

Terence Harold Robsjohn-Gibbings|Peterson Studios

ca. 1937 · Birch, vellum · Modern and Contemporary Art

Robsjohn-Gibbings’s design derives from the ancient klismos chair, introduced in Greece during the fifth century. The klismos is elegant and light. The curved, tapered legs slope forward and rearward, offering stability. The rear legs sweep continuously upward to support a wide concave backrest like a curved tablet, which supports the sitter’s shoulders and may be low enough to lean an elbow on. Lacking painted decoration, Robsjohn-Gibbings’s chair calls attention to its natural materials.

Artist

Terence Harold Robsjohn-Gibbings|Peterson Studios

Date

ca. 1937

Medium

Birch, vellum

Department

Modern and Contemporary Art

Credit line

Purchase, The Horace W. Goldsmith Foundation Gift, 2001